50 Best Dog Friendly Restaurants Johnston

“Huge shout out to Wasabi Johnston! My daughter wanted to go there for sushi for her bday dinner last night. I called ahead and asked if we could bring in a cake, etc... they were MORE than accommodating. They said whatever we needed! They kept it a secret until we finished our dinner. Brought out the cake, lit the candles, provided extra plates, a knife to cut it and were SO kind. Thank you guys all SO much! My daughter was thrilled (and embarrassed). Excellent dinner too!“

“We took our grandkids here. We were impressed by the food and service. It’s a brewery but it’s not just fried bar food , though they do have great cheese curds and fries. The West coast salad was perfect: evenly chopped, tossed and dressed. Very flavorful too. The Italian melt was such a tasty sandwich in every bite. The mortadella is to die for. Service is fast and friendly. The kids love the arcade (especially the classic pinball) and bowling is fun. Burgers are decent and fires hot and crispy and perfectly seasoned. Oh and the beers are all excellent, including root and ginger.“

“We had the wontons appetizer which was delicious and I loved the spicy buffalo wings and he loved the burnt ends“

“I want to give a shout out to Early Birds restaurant in West Des Moines. Kevin was a fantastic bartender. First time I have been here. The food was amazing. I love the atmosphere. The whole concept is great. The menu… too many things to choose from. I got the Cinnamon roll French toast. Delicious. And the Hashbrown holes delicious. It was great to get an appetizer before my French toast. I have to give a shout out to Kevin as he knows everything on the menu plus he has great suggestions for drinks from the bar! Will deffinately be going back again.“

“The chicken sandwich is fire and the staff is great“

“Absolutely delicious - huge portions and great service! Everything we had was soooo good! The restaurant was very clean and the staff was friendly and welcoming. Chicken 65, samosas, chicken briyani, butter chicken, chicken vindaloo, lamb roganjosh, and naan….and the complimentary mango custard - YUM!!!!“

“My family and I recently stopped at Smash Park in Des Moines on a whim for some family fun and food. The atmosphere was laid back and our kids thoroughly enjoyed the outdoor pickle ball courts and the arcade. Food, dessert and drinks were all crowd pleasers! And to go completely over the top, we left our blanket outside and Jerry answered my phone call, went outside to retrieve it from the bench where I left it, and mailed it back to me free of charge. In a world where kindness and customer support are harder and harder to come by, Jerry and Smash Park get a 10/10 from this family!!!“

“The ice cream here is absolutely delicious! I was also honored to meet the owner and some of the staff while I was working at a local haunted house and they were so much fun to be around! I will always love this place!“

“It's a super cute coffee shop, tucked in the middle of the block. The vibe inside was light, airy, and welcoming. I love that they are all about being eco friendly! Instead of paper cups, you get your coffee in cute glass jars. The staff were very friendly and helpful. And the best part was the amazing coffee and pastries. My breakfast latte was delicious. The cinnamon crown had bits of apple pieces and was so gooey and delicious. This is a great place to stop.“

“Betsy is always the best barista and very friendly with me and my dog Tela and I always love talking with her and she makes the best mocha ever!“

“As a connoisseur of ice cream… this place can’t be beat! The Salted Oreo ice cream is always in my bowl, but the Cookie Monster and Black Raspberry Oreo are close runners up. Get a pint, you’ll want it!“

“Our family went out to a late lunch here today. The service was awesome, and the food was absolutely wonderful. We took advantage of their September special, and were able to try several menu items. None disappointed. They were all great. Decor and atmosphere were modern and chic. Highly recommend a visit!“

“Best restaurant in ankney! By so far haven’t change. Has best customer service and FOOD!“

“Good beer and food, but over priced, especially with added fees.“

“Delicious ! Would 10/10 come back again and try all the flavors !“

“Went for the first time as we are from 4 hours away. Everything was awesome. Got seated right away. And order was taken. Food came out hot. Didn’t try the pop tart as wasn’t sure what it was. But heard it is very good. Maybe next time we get to town. Service was outstanding“

“Service and food is always consistently good. The patio is a great setting and one of few restaurants in DSM that can offer this setting My only suggestion is to make sure the patio is regularly hosed down and absent of bird droppings. Great restaurant and would like to see more customers to keep this restauant strong“

“The staff are always super friendly and kind!“

“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Sakari Sushi is hands down my favorite place for sushi in Des Moines! The food is always incredibly fresh, and the sushi is the best in town, no question. What really sets this place apart is the staff. They’re phenomenal, friendly, attentive, and always moving with purpose. You’ll never catch anyone just standing around; they’re constantly making sure everything runs smoothly and guests are taken care of. Special shoutout to our bartender Jake for mixing up the best drinks. His Painkiller cocktail is an absolute must-try! Whether you're a sushi lover or just looking for a great night out, Sakari never disappoints.“

“3/1/25 I ordered delivery My order was grilled chicken sandwich on sourdough bread with fries. The sandwich was very good and lots of great flavor. Herb fries were good too. I also, ordered the pretzel Bread Pudding, it was terrible dry and hard even with the carmel sauce. Bad choice.
8/10“

“Ankeny 7 Brew crew is the best! I have been going ever since they opened. The crew is very courteous and kind! They know me by name. They will chit chat with you until your coffee is ready. They are pretty fast and quick. I love the fact they have sugar free options. If you love coffee, come check them out. Let me warn you though, you will get addicted! All good though!“

“I absolutely love this restaurant the food is amazing everything is always hot and fresh and soooo good. The catfish is crispy and crunchy 🤤from the Mac and cheese to the collard greens to sweet potatoes everything is superb and delicious and so delightful. You will not be disappointed the owner is so nice and the atmosphere the restaurant is a whole vibe 🫶🏾“

“Great food and Great atmosphere!“

“Always friendly service, fast and delicious!“

“I served in the Army for nearly 10 years and was lucky enough to travel to Hawaii, where I first tried Hawaiian BBQ and loved it. When I found out there was a location here in Des Moines, I had to stop in while in town for the INPS Nurse Practitioner Conference.

The food was great—juicy, savory, and full of flavor. I ordered the Huli Huli Chicken (their main entrée, I think) and it did not disappoint. Their packaged sriracha sauce added the perfect heat. I do wish I had ordered veggies instead of double rice, but that’s on me! The twist soft serve was fantastic, and although I’m usually a huge fan of Spam and rice, I surprisingly didn’t love the spam musubi this time.

What really stood out was the service. My food was ready before I even sat down, every staff member I interacted with was friendly and smiling, and the restaurant was spotless. When I overheard they had a Veterans Day special after I’d already paid, the manager (David) went above and beyond and issued me a refund—very kind gesture. My only complaint was the ice machine running out, but the manager handled that right away.

All around, great food, excellent service, and an awesome team. I’ll definitely be back next time I’m in town and highly recommend this spot!“

“We recognize Chris for going above and beyond at Wasabi Waukee on September 23, 2025.

We were facing an urgent issue with our keg cooler that was impacting draft service. Chris not only helped diagnose and repair the cooler on the spot, he also assisted with swapping in new kegs, confirming lines, pressures, and temperatures, and ensuring every tap was pouring correctly before he left. His professionalism, technical know-how, and willingness to stay until the job was truly complete prevented service interruptions during a busy period and saved us product waste.

Please pass along my thanks—this is exactly the kind of partnership we value. Chris represented Confluence exceptionally well.

Thank you,
Rhiannon King
General Manager, Wasabi Waukee“

“This is a delightful dining experience. The food is delicious, the servings are very generous, and the prices surprisingly moderate, especially as compared to other fine dining establishments in Des Moines. Pleasant, airy setting and attentive service.“

“Great environment ( inside and out) to grab a beer and relax. Lots on tap to choose from. Never had one I didn’t like. Staff is friendly and happy to be there. Highly recommend.“

“We visited for the 1st time this past weekend, and absolutely love the concept and everything about it. We had a great time, but can't help but to think its sorta like a daycare except with dogs and the parents can hang and drink all day. I noticed alot of stressed out dogs from being away from their humans and the very loud music from the dj. It kind of put a damper on my mood after awhile, cause it was the same couple dogs crying, barking and pacing the fence where their humans were on the other side of, and for a great deal of time.“

“😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋 awesome service and awesome food I’ll come back again and again 😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋“

“Couldn’t recommend this place enough. We had a wonderful time tonight for a work outing. Called and made a reservation a week prior. Decor, atmosphere, and vibe was phenomenal. Our waitress, Kennedy, was a joy to have—attentive, friendly, and upbeat! Food was delicious! I think that’s one of the best breaded tenderloins I have had. It was thick, juicy, flavorful, and delicious! And what a pleasant surprise to be able to play DJ Bingo while there! It was truly a great time! Will be back!“

“The BEST sour beers I’ve had!“

“Great food and drinks! Service was fantastic, thank you to Cory and Zoey!! The kitchen team was hard working!!“

“Last week was my 1st time here, but the staff treated me like an old friend. & the pizza was amaaazing. While waiting for my food, there was a little girl who was dancing & fell (she was alright). The staff were very kind to her & even gave her a big cookie to have for dessert!“

“Sully's is a great Irish Pub that has great food and drink specials every night. They have a dog friendly patio and always welcome riders from the bike trails that are nearby. The staff is always inviting and it is overall a very fun bar. Go check it out!“

“pastry's are the best, eggnog is delish, but top 30% of the cup was foam.“

“Elegant design, wonderful wood-fired pizza, great service, who could ask for more?“

“Went with my niece before an appointment. Showed up a little before 9 and Zuella was the cashier. She was very personable and polite. She had a warm feeling about her. We dined in and my niece and I both got the bacon, egg and cheese biscuit. Both sandwiches were fresh and Zuella came out and checked on us. She was very hospitable. Restaurant was clean. What I did appreciate was there was a table of staff all sitting together eating behind us. Whether it was them on break or about to start/ended shift, it was nice to see they were given that time and seemed to be enjoying themselves. Great experience.“

“We just stayed for one beer but this place has a great vibe, great beer and friendly staff. Looking forward to coming back.“

“This is a drive-thru coffee shop that's similar to a CarHop from the 1950s. Fun, super friendly, fast service at your car. The music is blasting and the girls come out to your car to take your order. It's usually pretty busy with several vehicles in line waiting, but the service is fast and the drinks are diverse with creative new mixtures. It's less expensive than Caribou or Starbucks. There is no dine-in option, the only drawback.“

“Just a great bar, we meet our son there when we’re in town.“

“Hands down my favorite bar. All the bartenders rock, the space is cozy, the drinks are actually reasonably priced, and they don’t skimp on the liquor. If it’s a busy night it can be HARD to find seating, but that’s most bars to be fair. Highly recommend“

“Awesome beer and support their local first responders!“

“Stopped to entertain our toddler during our road trip and a quality quick dinner. Staff were happy, helpful & busy. Play place kept our toddler entertained while we waited for our food. The other kids assisted getting her out of the equipment for dinner.“

“Excellent food“

“Favorite local ice cream!!“

“Excellent service and food!“

“The staff are incredible!! Monty and I love all the helpful and friendly bar tenders! Highly HIGHLY recommend ☺️“

“I went here for a light dinner since most of my first options were closed.I’m going to guess it was just the end of the day but the drink machine needed some cleaning. The floors near some tables near the walls weren’t much better.Fortunately, the sandwich I got - the Turkey Bacon Ranch - tasted good. The pickle spear was pretty crisp and not dripping with brine (I’m thankful for that).Overall, this Firehouse Subs did a good job on food but I hope they can improve their cleanliness.“